Flag pole holder



1964 c. J. STRAAYER ETAL 3,162,409

FLAG POLE HOLDER Filed May 8, 1959 INVENTORS VE/V r/ey com my ORE/V ['76. 2

/j 40 COE/VEL/US J. 579/7975? ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,152,409 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 Mich.

Filed May 3, 1959, set. No. 811,849 1 Claim. c1. 248-41) The invention relates to a flag pole holder and particularly pertains to a holder which may be easily attached to or removed from a vertical support, such as a parking meter post, and holds the flag at an attractive unfurled angle.

In commercial retail store areas it is common to display the flag on holiday occasions by inserting the flag pole in a vertical socket imbedded in the concrete of the sidewalk. This method of supporting a flag pole has several disadvantages including the expense of installing the socket, the necessity to clean out the socket each time the pole is to be inserted therein and the vertical position that the socket holds the pole causes the flag to the furl about the pole in a lifeless, unattractive manner.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a flag pole holder which overcomes the above disadvantages by mounting the holder to a vertical support, such as a parking meter pole or lamp post and which holds the pole at an angle to cause the fiag to partially unfurl.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flag pole holder which may readily be attached to or removed from the support member by a person of average mechanical skill.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a flag pole holder which may be economically produced by common fabricating methods and which may be manufactured in several embodiments.

These and other objects of the invention arising from the structural details and relationships will be apparent from the following description and accompanying draw ings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention with the clamp elements in closed position,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the flag pole holder as alfixed to a parking meter support,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention wherein the flag pole tube is adjustable with respect to the clamp,

FIG. 4 is an elevational view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the invention wherein the flag pole tube is spot welded to the clamp elements and,

FIG. 6 is a plan view taken along line VL-VI of FIG 5.

While the flag pole holder of the invention is preferably affixed to a parking meter support, and will be described as being used in this manner, it will be appreciated that any vertical support such as a lamp post will sufiice as a means to mount the invention.

The basic embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 and it will be noted that the holder consists of two primary components, e.g., a clamp 10 and a flag receiving tube or sleeve 12. The clamp consists of two semi-cylindrical portions or halves 14 and 16, which, when assembled as in FIG. 1, define a cylindrical clamp which will firmly grip a cylindrical support, such as the parking meter post 18. It will be apparent of course, that the size of the semi-cylindrical portions 14 and 16 is pro-determined to accommodate a given size post and if a support other than of cylindrical configuration is to be employed, the portions 14 and 16 will be shaped complementarily.

The half 14 is formed at one end with a radial portion 20 having an end 22 which is bent back 180 to lie parallel to and spaced from portion 20 to form a U-shaped space. The other end of half 14 is provided with a planar radial portion 24 having a hole defined therein.

The clamp half 16 is provided with a radial flange 26 which is received within the U-shaped space defined by end 22 and portion 20 and diametrically opposed to flange 26 is a radial portion 28, also having a hole defined therein. A bolt 30 may be inserted through the holes of portions 24 and 28 and by tightening wing nut 32 these portions may be clamped together to affect the gripping of the clamp 10 to the post 18 located between the clamp halves. To remove the clamp from the post removal of the nut 32 permits the halves 14 and 16 to be disassembled.

The sleeve or tube 12 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 is welded to the end of the clamp half portion 24 and the end of portion 24 is inclined to the axis of the clamp 10 such that the axis of the tube 12 will be inclined approximately 8 to the clamp axis. The lower end of the tube 12 is preferable folded inwardly as at 34 to abut the end of a flag pole 36 inserted into the upper end of the tube, however, a diametrical pin or other forming of the lower end of the tube may be used for the same purpose.

Referring to FIG. 2 it will be noted that the holder of the invention does not interfere with the use of the meter and that the inclination of the tube axis causes the flag to unfurl in an attractive manner. As most parking meters are set back at least 18 inches from the street curb, a ten foot flag pole will not project over the curb nor interfere with vehicular traffic, although the flag is readily visible from the street and sidewalk. To prevent the clamp half from marring the post, the inside of the half may be lined with felt or similar material.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 employs a clamp portion 10' of similar configuration to that of FIG. 1 and similar components are designated by the same reference numerals. The radial portion 24' of this embodiment is not affixed to the tube 12, but instead, the tube is provided with an ear 38 having a hole therein whereby the car may be interposed between the portions 24' and 28 and the bolt 30 passes through the hole of the ear. The inside of one or both of the portions 24' or 28 may be formed with radial serrations 39, FIG. 4, which co-act with similar serrations on the ear 38 wherein the angular relationship of the axis of tube 12 and clamp 10 may be adjusted as desired. The serrations are not necessary to the operation of this embodiment. However, their use increases the frictional engagement between the clamp portions and the tube ear caused by tightening of nut 32.

Another embodiment is disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein a construction is shown wherein the tube 12 may be afiixed to the clamp elements by spot Welding. This embodiment employs two clamp halves 40 and 42 wherein each half is provided with first and second semi-cylindrical portions 44 and 46, respectively, separated by substantially planar portions 43. The bolt 30 extends through holes in portions 48 and the portion 46 of half 40 is spot welded to the tube 12 while the portion 46 of half 42 clamps the tube under the influence of bolt 30 and wing nut 32. By removing nut 32 the half 42 may be removed from half 46 and the holder easily attached to or removed from the parking meter post. As shown in FIG. 5 the portions 48 are inclined downward with respect to the horizontal plane of the parking meter post clamp elements whereby the desired inclination of the flag pole will be obtained.

It will thus be understood that the invention discloses a device for supporting a flag pole in an attractive manner and that the holder may be easily attached to or removed from the supporting post. The use of portion 24 and flange 26 provides an economical, unobtrusive means for assembling the clamp halves and as the clamp elements a 1 may. befoi'med of stampings and the tube of available stock fabrication of the folder is relatively simple.

As various embodiments of the invention, other than those described, may be apparent to those skilled in the art withinthe spirit of the invention, it is intended the invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 7 y

r t ,Aiflflg lJOl? holder adapted to be afiixed to a vertical cylindrical support member comprising in combination a first formed clamp portion of strip material, said clamp portion having an intermediate semicylindrical support memberengaging sectio ma first planar radially outwardly extending portion defined on one end of said clamp portion, a second planar radially outwardly extending portion defined on the other end of said clamp portion, said second outwardly extending portion having the end thereof detorm ed back inwardly whereby said end is in spaced parallel relation to, said :second outwardly extending portion, a fl ag pole receiving socket, said socket comprising a tubularrnember having an upper pole receiving end and a lo wer end having a circumferentially inwardly deformed flange-for abutting the end of a flag pole, an ear afiixed to said socket, a second clamp portion afiixed to said first clamp portion in opposed relation thereto, said second clamp portion being formed of strip material having a central semicylindrical support member engaging section radially outwardly extending first and second planar flanges formed adjacent the ends of said second clamp portion in relative diametrical relationship, said first flange being received between said second radially extending portion of said first clamp portion and the deformed end thereof and removable clamping means drawing said first radially extending portion of said first clamp portion and said second flange toward each other whereby said support member may be ripped between the cylindrical sections of said clamp portions, said removable clamping means adjustably securing said ear to said first radially extending portion and said second flange whereby said socket may be angularly adjusted relative to said clamp portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,179,661 Selah Apr. 18, 1916 1,194,746 1 Keeler Aug. 15, 1916 1,220,299 Viden Mar. 27, 1917 1,431,691 S'chroder Oct. 10, 1922 1,449,509 Graves Mar. 27, 1923 1,462,108 Holywell July 17, 1923 1,525,515 Socha Feb. 10, 1925 1,653,772 Knoche 1 Dec. 27, 1927 1,720,322 Ferraioli July 9, 1929 2,441,734 Van Hyning May 18, 1948 2,496,478 Kinnebrew Feb. 7, 1950 2,791,782 Platt et a1. May 14, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS ,1 5,910 Great Britain of 1911 261,628 Italy Dec. 6, 1928 

